Personnel Delegation #41

Delegation of Authority to Approve Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances

AUTHORITY DELEGATED

Pursuant to the authority delegated to the Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Management Operations (DASHMO), on February 7, 1994, I hereby delegate to the addressees (listed below) the following authorities with restrictions as noted below:

Approve individual recruitment bonuses of up to 25 percent of base pay when necessary to:

match current non-Federal salary;

match a recent, written, competing, non-Federal salary offer for a similar position; and

compensate for cost-of-living disparity, as shown in a Runzheimer International Two-Location Comparison, or a combination of cost-of-living and salary offer disparity.

Approve individual relocation bonuses of up to:

Twenty-five percent of base pay when necessary to match a recent, written, competing, non-Federal salary offer for a similar position;

Twenty-five percent of base pay to compensate for cost-of-living disparity, as shown in Runzheimer International Two-location Comparison;

Ten percent of base pay when a two-year service agreement is an incentive to relocate because of adverse factors; and

Five percent agreement of base pay when a one-year service agreement is proposed and it is necessary to provide an incentive to relocate because of adverse factors.

Approve an initial retention allowance of up to 25 percent of base pay when necessary to match a recent, written, competing, non-Federal salary offer for a similar position;

Approve renewals of retention allowances.

RESTRICTIONS

This delegation excludes the authority to approve or renew recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Schedule C, Executive Level, and Senior Executive Service (SES) positions.

SCOPE

The authority delegated in the first paragraph above includes professional, scientific, and technical positions at GS-15 and below; in the following occupational groups: 400, 600, 800, 1300, and 1500; in the following occupational series: 110, 180-701, and 181 1; and in targeted mission-critical occupations. A targeted mission-critical position is a position that, if not filled, would prevent the IHS from effectively carrying out its mission. Targeted mission-critical positions usually must be filled immediately and often have special skill set requirements.

RETAINED AUTHORITY -DASHMO

The DASHMO retains the authority to:

Approve recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health employees at GS-15 and below;

Approve recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Health and Human Services (HHS) employees at GS-15 and below for cases not within the authority of the HHS agency heads;

Approve requests for streamlined recruitment or relocation bonuses when individual approvals are required and recommend categorical relocation bonuses to the Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration for recommendation to the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) when individual approvals are to be waived;

Recommend recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Schedule C, Executive Level, and SES positions to the Secretary; and

Approve all requests to waive repayment of the pro rata amount of recruitment or relocation bonuses for failure to complete service agreements, when waiver is required.

AUTHORITY TO REDELEGATE

The authorities delegated in the first paragraph above may be redelegated to SES officials or their equivalents, which include Senior Title 42, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Flag Officers, or Senior Biomedical Research Service appointments.

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

All Agency-approved recruitment and retention bonuses and relocation allowances will be audited on a quarterly basis by the Division of Human Resources (DHR), Office of Management Services, IHS, to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and proper use of these authorities. All cases for which approval authority rests with the Director, IHS, will be submitted through the channels currently being used. The DHR will continue to provide technical advice and assistance on proper completion of required documentation. Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in OPM regulations, HHS policy, and the Human Resources Manual, Instruction 575.1, “Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives,” HHS Transmittal: September 10, 2007

SUPERSEDURE

Personnel #41, DOA to Approve Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances, dated October 28, 1994, to the Director of Headquarters Operations

Personnel #41, DOA to Approve Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances, dated March 24, 2000, to Area Directors